Opinion: The Shutdown: Why Democrats Are Sitting Pretty

Political Diary editor Jason Riley on why President Obama and Senate Democrats may benefit from a government shutdown. Photos: AP

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... I ... the son of a Democratic side of politics are Democrats voted in Obamacare ... they don't wanna defunded they don't wanna do the layouts ... I've now the war in a government shutdown what is the strategy that the White House in the Democratic Senate ... are going to adopt that got ... little diary editor and Fox News contributor Jason Riley here to talk about it Jason ... poll upon the screen here that shows ... that ... sixty three percent in the public disapprove of the way Republicans are handling ... these federal budget negotiations went to a PC those numbers in your diet I think that's the Democratic strategy in a nutshell there looking at these polls that put the strategists ... are looking at that that the White House is looking at the same wheat can win the battle in the press a blame game ... we can win it ... and that's why we can hold their ground I mean ... yes it's true that ... more than half of Americans disapprove of Obamacare ... but more than sixty percent say a government shutdown ... is not the way to go and I think the Democrats are counting on those numbers furthermore ... if there is a shutdown ... people are prepared to blame Republicans versus Democrats shore ... of an extended when they're they're they're they're willing to blame Republicans versus Democrats forty six percent thirty six percent ... so if you're a Democrat you say we sit tight ... what the shutdown happened when not Guinea get blamed ... in you know they do have the media on their side they always have ... aam plots ... at the end of the day Republicans still don't have the votes ... in the Senate ... to enact their wealth so ... if you're if you're looking at this for purely strategic point of view Mary ... um the Democrats still seem to have the upper hand I just said Steve Moore in the show and he talked about the Vitter amendment which would remove that exemption from Obamacare that Congress currently in choice ... um could Democrats in the Senate peel off if you force them to vote on that as a share in the popular for any politician to say ... I won an exemption EU average American years' time is right I think that that's of an idea concept that that resonates ... with people politicians try to get away with something ... that the rest of us can't I think that is a way to go YouTube you pick something like that in the Bell where you ... do have the possibility of picking up some of red state Democrats for instance on another issue whether to it to delay the individual mandate ... um don't mention that Democrat from West Virginia the Center for Wes for Kenya has already said that he would vote for something like that now he is from West region yet it is a red state and a half corner of their other show mentions out there people up for one job matches the pre election but ... people like Goffe Blanche Lincoln are or aam or Mary Landrieu ... on site and really enjoy Mark Pryor ... of Arkansas is another red state Democrat up for re-election ... whether there are mobile and issues ... what is the lesson of the White House is taking away from this GOP fiasco where ... the GOP House keeps ending up ... in different kinds of bills up to the Senate ... Sen says were not negotiate with you they hold firm does that mean ... moving forward for the White House is the lesson while ... we still need to negotiate with these guys are I think that the lesson the White House takes way with this is that we have a divided opposition ... all their grounds ... to fighting among themselves and let them fight it out ... and ... that in the day they still don't have the votes ... so I think that's a lesson that's why think my colleague Steve is right you pick an issue you think will resonate with the public White the individual mandate white making Obamacare apply to the political class to ... a new ... push that you make and take our books on those issues ... and to find a book that something you can push down the road when you have the books to him ... the ... company had the votes in active they